Tendai Mtawarira
Full names: Tendai
Date of birth: 1 Aug 1985
Place of birth: Harare (Salisbury), Zimbabwe
Schools: Churchill High School Peterhouse
Springbok no: 797
Debut test province: Sharks
Physical: 1.88m, 112kg
Current age: 38

Test summary: Tests: 117 Tries: 2
First Test: 14 Jun 2008 Age:22 Loose-head Prop against Wales at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Last Test: 2 Nov 2019 Age:34 Loose-head Prop against England at International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
14 Jun 200822Loose-head PropWalesWin: 37-21 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
21 Jun 200822Loose-head PropItalyWin: 26-01 tryNewlands, Cape TownSharks
19 Jul 200822ReserveAustraliaLose: 9-16 Subiaco Oval, PerthSharks
09 Aug 200823Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 63-9 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
16 Aug 200823Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 0-19 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
23 Aug 200823Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 15-27 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
30 Aug 200823Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 53-8 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
08 Nov 200823Loose-head PropWalesWin: 20-15 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
15 Nov 200823Loose-head PropScotlandWin: 14-10 Murrayfield, EdinburghSharks
22 Nov 200823Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 42-6 Twickenham, LondonSharks
20 Jun 200923Loose-head PropBritainWin: 26-21 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
27 Jun 200923Loose-head PropBritainWin: 28-25 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
04 Jul 200923Loose-head PropBritainLose: 9-28 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
25 Jul 200923Loose-head PropNew ZealandWin: 28-19 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinSharks
01 Aug 200924Loose-head PropNew ZealandWin: 31-19 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
08 Aug 200924Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 29-17 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
29 Aug 200924Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 32-25 Subiaco Oval, PerthSharks
05 Sep 200924Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 6-21 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneSharks
12 Sep 200924Loose-head PropNew ZealandWin: 32-29 Waikato Stadium, HamiltonSharks
13 Nov 200924Loose-head PropFranceLose: 13-20 Stade Municipal, ToulouseSharks
21 Nov 200924ReserveItalyWin: 32-10 Stadio Friuli, UdineSharks
28 Nov 200924Loose-head PropIrelandLose: 10-15 Croke Park, DublinSharks
06 Nov 201025Loose-head PropIrelandWin: 23-21 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinSharks
13 Nov 201025Loose-head PropWalesWin: 29-25 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
20 Nov 201025Loose-head PropScotlandLose: 17-21 Murrayfield, EdinburghSharks
27 Nov 201025Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 21-11 Twickenham, LondonSharks
13 Aug 201126Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 9-14 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
20 Aug 201126ReserveNew ZealandWin: 18-5 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethSharks
11 Sep 201126Loose-head PropWalesWin: 17-16 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonSharks
17 Sep 201126ReserveFijiWin: 49-31 tryWestPac Stadium, WellingtonSharks
22 Sep 201126ReserveNamibiaWin: 87-0 North Harbour Stadium, North Shore CitySharks
30 Sep 201126Loose-head PropSamoaWin: 13-5 North Harbour Stadium, North Shore CitySharks
09 Jun 201226Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 22-17 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
16 Jun 201226Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 36-27 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
23 Jun 201226Loose-head PropEnglandDraw: 14-14 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethSharks
18 Aug 201227Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 27-6 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
25 Aug 201227Loose-head PropArgentinaDraw: 16-16 Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, MendozaSharks
08 Sep 201227Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 19-26 Subiaco Oval, PerthSharks
15 Sep 201227Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 11-21 Forsyth Barr Stadium, DunedinSharks
29 Sep 201227Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 31-8 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
06 Oct 201227Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 16-32 National Stadium, JohannesburgSharks
08 Jun 201327Loose-head PropItalyWin: 44-10 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
15 Jun 201327Loose-head PropScotlandWin: 30-17 Mbombela Stadium, NelspruitSharks
22 Jun 201327Loose-head PropSamoaWin: 56-23 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
17 Aug 201328Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 73-13 National Stadium, JohannesburgSharks
24 Aug 201328Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 22-17 Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, MendozaSharks
07 Sep 201328Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 38-12 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneSharks
14 Sep 201328Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 15-29 Eden Park, AucklandSharks
28 Sep 201328Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 28-8 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
05 Oct 201328Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 27-38 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
09 Nov 201328Loose-head PropWalesWin: 24-15 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
17 Nov 201328ReserveScotlandWin: 28-0 Murrayfield, EdinburghSharks
23 Nov 201328Loose-head PropFranceWin: 19-10 Stade de France, ParisSharks
14 Jun 201428ReserveWalesWin: 38-16 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
21 Jun 201428Loose-head PropWalesWin: 31-30 Mbombela Stadium, NelspruitSharks
16 Aug 201429Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 13-6 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
23 Aug 201429ReserveArgentinaWin: 33-31 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, SaltaSharks
06 Sep 201429Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 23-24 Subiaco Oval, PerthSharks
13 Sep 201429Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 10-14 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonSharks
27 Sep 201429Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 28-10 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
04 Oct 201429Loose-head PropNew ZealandWin: 27-25 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
08 Nov 201429Loose-head PropIrelandLose: 15-29 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinSharks
15 Nov 201429Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 31-28 Twickenham, LondonSharks
29 Nov 201429Loose-head PropWalesLose: 6-12 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
18 Jul 201529Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 20-24 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneSharks
25 Jul 201529Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 20-27 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
08 Aug 201530Loose-head PropArgentinaLose: 25-37 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
15 Aug 201530ReserveArgentinaWin: 26-12 Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos AiresSharks
19 Sep 201530Loose-head PropJapanLose: 32-34 Brighton Community Stadium, BrightonSharks
26 Sep 201530Loose-head PropSamoaWin: 46-6 Villa Park, BirminghamSharks
03 Oct 201530Loose-head PropScotlandWin: 34-16 St James Park, NewcastleSharks
07 Oct 201530Loose-head PropUSAWin: 64-0 Olympic Stadium, LondonSharks
17 Oct 201530Loose-head PropWalesWin: 23-19 Twickenham, LondonSharks
24 Oct 201530Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 18-20 Twickenham, LondonSharks
30 Oct 201530Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 24-13 Olympic Stadium, LondonSharks
11 Jun 201630Loose-head PropIrelandLose: 20-26 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
18 Jun 201630Loose-head PropIrelandWin: 32-26 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
25 Jun 201630Loose-head PropIrelandWin: 19-13 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethSharks
20 Aug 201631Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 30-23 Mbombela Stadium, NelspruitSharks
27 Aug 201631Loose-head PropArgentinaLose: 24-26 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, SaltaSharks
10 Sep 201631Loose-head PropAustraliaLose: 17-23 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneSharks
17 Sep 201631Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 13-41 AMI Stadium (Rugby League Park), ChristchurchSharks
01 Oct 201631Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 18-10 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
08 Oct 201631Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 15-57 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
12 Nov 201631Loose-head PropEnglandLose: 21-37 Twickenham, LondonSharks
19 Nov 201631Loose-head PropItalyLose: 18-20 Stadio Artemio Franchi, FlorenceSharks
26 Nov 201631Loose-head PropWalesLose: 13-27 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
10 Jun 201731Loose-head PropFranceWin: 37-14 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
17 Jun 201731Loose-head PropFranceWin: 37-15 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
24 Jun 201731Loose-head PropFranceWin: 35-12 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
19 Aug 201732Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 37-15 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethSharks
26 Aug 201732Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 41-23 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, SaltaSharks
09 Sep 201732Loose-head PropAustraliaDraw: 23-23 Perth Oval, PerthSharks
16 Sep 201732Loose-head PropNew ZealandLose: 0-57 North Harbour Stadium, North Shore CitySharks
30 Sep 201732Loose-head PropAustraliaDraw: 27-27 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinSharks
11 Nov 201732Loose-head PropIrelandLose: 3-38 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinSharks
18 Nov 201732Loose-head PropFranceWin: 18-17 Stade de France, ParisSharks
25 Nov 201732Loose-head PropItalyWin: 35-6 Stadio Euganeo, PaduaSharks
09 Jun 201832Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 42-39 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
16 Jun 201832Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 23-12 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinSharks
23 Jun 201832Loose-head PropEnglandLose: 10-25 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
18 Aug 201833Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 34-21 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
25 Aug 201833Loose-head PropArgentinaLose: 19-32 Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, MendozaSharks
08 Sep 201833ReserveAustraliaLose: 18-23 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneSharks
15 Sep 201833ReserveNew ZealandWin: 36-34 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonSharks
29 Sep 201833Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 23-12 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethSharks
06 Oct 201833ReserveNew ZealandLose: 30-32 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
20 Jul 201933Loose-head PropAustraliaWin: 35-17 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
27 Jul 201933ReserveNew ZealandDraw: 16-16 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonSharks
10 Aug 201934Loose-head PropArgentinaWin: 46-13 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, SaltaSharks
06 Sep 201934ReserveJapanWin: 41-7 Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, SaitamaSharks
21 Sep 201934ReserveNew ZealandLose: 13-23 International Stadium Yokohama, YokohamaSharks
28 Sep 201934Loose-head PropNamibiaWin: 57-3 Toyota Stadium, AichiSharks
04 Oct 201934Loose-head PropItalyWin: 49-3 Shizuoka Stadium, FukuroiSharks
20 Oct 201934Loose-head PropJapanWin: 26-3 Tokyo Stadium, Chofu, TokyoSharks
27 Oct 201934Loose-head PropWalesWin: 19-16 International Stadium Yokohama, YokohamaSharks
02 Nov 201934Loose-head PropEnglandWin: 32-12 International Stadium Yokohama, YokohamaSharks

Tendai Mtawarira: The Beast of the front row : Simon Turnbull

The first name on South Africa's team sheet for Saturday's engagement with Scotland at Murrayfield? Beast. Beast Mtawarira. They like to print their line up from 1 to 15, the Springboks, and the No 1 position – that of loosehead prop – has become occupied by the imposing 6ft 2in, 18st 2lb unit who started his life back in his native in Zimbabwe as Tendai Mtawarira. Not that you will find any mention of his actual first name on the paperwork carried by the world champions on their end-of-year tour.

So when did he become the Beast, the 23-year-old who has come to fill the gargantuan Springbok void left by the man known as 'the Ox', the mountainous Jacobus Petrus – 'Os'– du Randt? "I've had it for a long time," Mtawarira replied, with a deep bass voice somewhere down in the Barry White region. "I've had it since I was nine years old. It's something that's stuck. It was my school-mates who gave me it."

It had something to do with him being "a bit of a bully" in his primary school days in Harare, Mtawarira confessed. It was back then, when his huge frame was knocking down smaller contemporaries in a football match, that a local rugby coach thought he might be better suited to the rough and tumble of the 15-man game. It has only been in the past two years, though, that Mtawarira has made a name for himself as a beast of a prop.

A fearsome scrummager and battering ram ball carrier, he started to emerge as a talismanic figure with the Sharks in the Super 14 competition last season. Since his debut appearance for South Africa against Wales in Pretoria in June, the Springbok crowd have come to mimic the chant that has become familiar whenever he gets the ball in 'the Shark Tank', the old Kings Park Stadium in Durban: "Beast! Beast! Beast!" He says: "I don't really hear much when I'm on the field. I get told about it after the game, that they were chanting my name. It is special."

The same could be said of the Beast, who has swiftly established himself not just as a cult figure in South Africa but also as the natural successor to the Ox as the Springboks' first-choice loosehead. Du Randt won his 80th and last cap as a World Cup final winner against England in Paris in October last year. It was his second taste of success in the Webb Ellis Cup, having been in the Springbok side that lifted it on home soil in 1995. A Bloemfontein farmer, he was drawn from rather different African stock than Mtawarira, who played for Zimbabwe at schools level and who (like Brian Mujati, the fellow prop who will be on the replacements' bench at Murrayfield) qualified for South Africa on residency grounds.

It was while playing as a No 8 for Peterhouse School south of Harare that Mtawarira was spotted by the Sharks and invited to become a member of their academy set-up in Durban. His conversion to prop only came in 2006 and yet now, after an excellent Tri Nations season and eight caps in all, he has become a cornerstone of the Springboks' front row. "It's a huge honour to be in the team and in the No1 jersey," he reflected, sitting on the first floor of an Edinburgh hotel, looking out to the Royal Mile. "I definitely want to play my part. All the guys in the pack are behind me. And, of course, Bismarck and John are next to me, so I'm ready for anything."

Yes, Bismarck and the Beast – these are changed times for the Boks down at the coal face. Against England in the World Cup final 13 months ago they had the seasoned trio of Du Randt at loosehead, John Smit at hooker and CJ van der Linde at tighthead. Against Scotland on Saturday, Mtawarira will be packing down at loosehead, with Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and Smit in the unfamiliar realm of tighthead. For Smit, who equals Du Randt's Springbok forwards' record cap haul of 80, it will be a second successive appearance in the No 3 jersey, having filled it in the 20-15 victory against Wales in Cardiff last Saturday.

"Last weekend showed that John can play tighthead," Mtawarira said of the Springbok captain. "He's doing very well. We're doing a lot of work together. Just today we had a very good scrumming session. We've got to take that confidence on to the field against Scotland."

South Africa might still be striving for a measure of consistency under their coach of 11 months, Peter de Villiers, but even after taking their foot off the pedal with 30 minutes remaining in Cardiff they still managed to shut out the Welsh on the try front. At Murrayfield they will be facing a Scotland team who have failed to score a try at home for 14 months. Still, Mtawarira in particular could be in for a difficult afternoon in the west end of Edinburgh on Saturday.

The stand out performer for the Scots in their 32-6 defeat against a shadow All Blacks side last Saturday was the man who will be Mtawarira's direct opponent. Euan Murray, Scotland's tighthead prop, gave a torrid time to Jamie Mackintosh, the 6ft 5in, 20st 6lb giant who was making his debut at loosehead for New Zealand. Mtawarira is likely to provide a more thorough examination of the 28-year-old Scot's credentials as a potential British and Irish Lion.

"Their loosehead..." Murray had pondered, across the Scottish capital at Murrayfield, earlier in the day. "I don't even know what his real name is, but he has a reputation for dismantling tightheads." Someone suggested it might be billed as Beauty and the Beast. The thought clearly tickled Murray, a beast of a size himself at 6ft 1in and 18st 9lb.

Certainly, it promises to be an intriguing battle-within-a-battle: the Beast and the Northampton Saint. Murray is a thoughtful, quietly-spoken character. He happens to be an accomplished piano player among the piano-shifters and a qualified vet too. He is also deeply religious, his Christian faith having been strengthened by the episode that almost led to the curtailment of his rugby career – the seizure he suffered while playing for Glasgow against Munster three years ago.

The day after a shift on the international scene, Murray likes to "go to church and have a sleep." He is expecting a particularly punishing 80 minutes on Saturday. "The Springboks are the most physical team I've played against," he said. "They've got the biggest, strongest, fastest forwards. They're very abrasive, very direct. With New Zealand, there's probably more stepping and stuff, more changing of direction. The South Africans just run at you like trains."

It remains to be seen if Murray and his team-mates can put a few autumn leaves on the Murrayfield line. Mtawarira, for one, remains wary of them. "The Scottish pack did very well against the All Blacks," he said. "They caused them problems. Euan Murray's a good tighthead. He'll be a big challenge, definitely. I look forward to taking him on."

Then, when the Murrayfield match is over, and it comes to booking a table for dinner, what name might South Africa's new prop idol be using. The enquiry drew a hearty laugh. "I call myself Mr Beast," the No 1 Springbok proclaimed.

The Beast's credentials:
Date of birth: 08-01-1985
Weight: 115 Kg
Position: Prop
Height: 188 cm
Born: Harare, Zimbabwe
Club: Natal Sharks

  • Admits he was a bully at school: "I was quite nasty to the other kids, but now I call myself a gentleman."
  • Is a committed Christian.
  • Spotted by a local rugby coach at the age of nine playing football in the streets of Harare.